Explosive Passion (7 page)

T
he awful stench of illness and bleach enveloped Boom as they stepped through the main doors, stealing the breath from his lungs. Hospitals were the one place he always hated. The stench never seemed to disappear, and hidden within the walls were people breathing their last. With his career death was always a possibility, one that he didn’t want to think about, but being in hospitals always brought that to the forefront of his mind. How many brothers and sisters in arms did he see die over the last fourteen years? Too many.

“Thirty-one hours after the accident and you finally have the nerve to show up.” Hatred slashed out like a whip.

“Aunt Cindy.” He laced his fingers through Wynn’s and stepped closer to his aunt, trying to keep their conversation from being overheard by everyone in the lobby. “My mother called me this morning and I boarded the first flight I could. How is he?”

“He’s dying and his eldest son isn’t at his bedside. How do you think he’s doing?”

“I’m here now. Are Mom and Justin with him?”

“Yeah. I see you brought your flag chaser with you as well.” If the look his aunt gave Wynn could have killed, she’d have been dead before he could stop it.

“Wynn is kind enough to accompany me home and I won’t stand for comments like that.” He glared at his aunt, unwilling to let her intimidate him. “Come along, sweetie, time is short.”

With their hands still laced together, he led the way to the elevator, ignoring the people that stared after overhearing the conversation. “I’m sorry.”

“If that’s as bad as it will be, then this will be a piece of cake.” She tried to make light of the situation as the elevator doors closed and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Oh sweet cheeks, that’s just the beginning. Aunt Cindy is my father’s sister, but she’s not nearly as bad as my father or even my mother.” The elevator crept to a stop and he laid a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “I’m sorry for what she said.”

“Flag chaser? Who cares? I love you, not the uniform you wear, you know that and that’s what matters.”

He nodded. “I remember that uniform is what almost scared you off.” The doors opened, revealing the ICU wing, and he let his hands fall away from her. “Here we go.”

As they stepped off, she slid her hand back into his. “Within an hour, we’ll be at the apartment downtown with a cold beer in hand.”

“You make it sound like it’s all worth it because there’s a beer with our names on it.” He tipped his head to smirk at her when he saw his mother step out of a room halfway down the hall. “Here goes nothing.”

Drop him in the middle of a gunfight without any weapons and he wouldn’t have been as terrified as he was now. Seeing his mother after all these years made him feel like the young kid of only eighteen who had just left home. He hated that she still had that effect on him.

“Jared.” She nodded as they neared, eyeing Wynn.

“It’s good to see you, Mom. How is he?”

Ignoring the question, she stared at Wynn. “You’re not going to introduce us?”

“This is Wynn. Wynn, my mother Karen.”

“It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Taylor; however, I wish it was under better circumstances.”

“I’d have preferred never to meet whatever whore he’s with now.” She glared at him, hatred in her eyes.

“She’s my fiancée, and you’ll have respect for her or we’ll leave.” He let her hand go and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I’ve put up with the insults when they’re directed at me, but I will not allow you to berate her.”

“Then you shouldn’t have brought her here.”

“Mom, I’ll only ask you once.” He stared at her, hoping that she understood that he was serious. He’d leave instead of put Wynn through the torments he had to deal with. “How is Dad?”

“It’s bad. They will be taking him in for another surgery within the hour. It’s dangerous to do it, but if they don’t he won’t make it through the night.”

“What are the risks with the surgery?”

“It’s a seventy-five percent chance he’ll die on the table.” Tears welled in his mother’s eyes, the first sign of weakness he ever saw from her. “He’s in and out of consciousness but if you want to see him, go ahead. I’m going to get some coffee at the end of the hall.”

“I feel like all I’m doing is apologizing,” he whispered once they were alone.

“Fiancée?”

“I’m sorry, it just…I hoped she’d lay off of you then.” He rubbed her arm. “I’ll tell her the truth.”

She shook her head, her hair brushing against his arm. “It will only make things worse. Let’s see how he’s doing.”

They stepped into the room and the sickly copper scent of blood filled the air. His father lay in the middle of the bed, tubes rubbing here and there, and all he felt was regret. Regret that his father couldn’t accept who he was or what he wanted to do. For most families, having a child join the military was a sense of pride, there was fear of what might happen mixed in, but never hatred. His parents didn’t believe in violence unless it was coming from them. His father had a mean right hook and a worse backhand, and more times than he cared to remember was he on the receiving side of those.

He looked down at his father. The strong man had never been sick as long as Boom had known him and now he lay in the middle of the hospital bed as white as the sheet that covered him. Black and blue marks covered his face and arms, one eye was completely shut from the swelling, and his left arm was in a full cast. Seeing the injuries and knowing that most of the damage was done internally, he was surprised his father was still alive.

“I don’t want you here!” His father’s angry words cut through his thoughts, and he looked up to find the man glaring at him.

“Mom called.”

“I don’t care. Don’t come crawling back now. You’ve made it clear over the years that the military is more important than your family.”

“Damn it, Dad.” He bit his tongue to keep from rehashing the same thing with his father. “I came because of the accident. We’re family. This is no time for this childish hatred.”

“We’re not family. You deserted your family fourteen years ago.” A cough racked his body until he spit blood into the spit pan. “I only have one son and Justin is on duty.”

Duty? He had a brief moment to wonder what career they forced his younger brother into before his mother walked into the room.

“Get out! Take your flag-chasing whore with you. I don’t want you here. You’re dead to me!” his father raged.

“What’s going on here, Mr. Taylor?” A woman in pale blue scrubs stepped into the room. “You know you can’t get upset in your condition.”

“Get him out of here!” Another coughing fit took control of his father. “He’s no son of mine! I want him gone!”

“Sir…” The nurse glanced between them. He suspected she’d ask him to leave but his mother cut her off.

“I shouldn’t have called you. It was against his wishes but if…” She paused and it was clear she was going to say if he died.

“It’s okay, Mom. He hasn’t wanted me around for years. Why should it change when he’s dying?” With one last glance at his father, he turned to Wynn. “Let’s go.”

It sickened him to know that was it, the last tie to his family. No longer would he come somewhere that he wasn’t wanted. He made the trip because even after everything they were family, but to be shut out and have Wynn degraded was enough for him to cut any remaining ties. People could think what they wanted, but he could only take so much, and this last bit had been enough.

B
oom stepped into the hall, a mixture of fury and grief pouring through him. The choice he made to join the military was one he never regretted, even with all it cost him over the years: the newest being all family ties. Sure, he hadn’t had much family connection since he left for boot camp, but there was still a shimmer of hope that someday things might change. Today proved that would never happen and he grieved for the lost chance.

“Wait, love.” Wynn tugged him against the wall, out of the way of the nursing staff going to and from the rooms.

“What?” he snapped before he could rein in his temper. “I’m sorry.” He leaned down, pressing their foreheads together.

“We’ve come all this way. Do you want to find a waiting room and wait to see how the surgery goes?”

“Excuse me…” The nurse from his father’s room came toward them. “Mr. Taylor’s condition is too grave for any type of excitement. I’m going to have to ask you to leave, if he’s willing to see you, then you may try another visit tomorrow.”

“We weren’t planning on going back in and you won’t have to worry about me upsetting him again. I won’t be back. I was just hoping to catch my brother before I left.”

“You don’t mean Mr. Taylor’s son, Doctor Taylor?”

Doctor Taylor?
He tried to keep the surprise hidden, not to let the nurse know how disconnected he was from his family. “Ummm…I guess I do. Have you seen him?”

The nurse shook her head. “He’s on duty in the emergency department, but he was here earlier. If you take the elevator to the first floor and instead of making a right to go back to the main entrance, take a left and at the end of the hall you’ll see the sign for the ER.”

“Thank you.” He glanced down the hall toward his father’s room. “Could you see that Mrs. Taylor doesn’t forget about her own needs? Make sure she eats something at least.”

“I’ll do my best, but she hasn’t left her husband’s side except to get coffee.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty. “She won’t take it from me, but on your break could you grab her a sandwich?”

“Sure.” She pocketed the money and stepped away.

“Doctor?” Wynn whispered as they made their way to the elevator.

“It would seem that my father got his way. He pressed me to go to college and become a doctor, but a job like that never held any appeal to me. I don’t want to be cooped up indoors, and I never could stand hospitals.”

Only thirty and his brother was a doctor. He couldn’t believe it. So much had changed over the years, but good or bad he needed to see where things stood between Justin and him before he returned to Virginia. “Looks like we can catch a flight home in the morning and we’ll still have a little time together.”

“Maybe things will change once they have time to think about it.” She squeezed his hand.

“No.” The elevator doors closed, giving them a moment alone as they traveled to the first floor. “Those doors have closed. It’s time for me to grieve for my family and move on with our life.”

“You know you’ll always be a part of the Diamond family.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him.

“I know, and your family is amazing, but I want you.” The doors opened before she could say anything else. “Let’s see about my brother and then get something to eat.”

She opened her mouth as to say something but stopped as a tall lanky man neared them in a white doctor’s coat. “Is that…”

“Justin?” It was more of a question to the man than to her.

“Excuse me, do I know you?

“Are you Justin Taylor?” He wanted to make sure, because after fourteen years Justin would have changed.

“Yes. Now who are you?” Justin looked between them, confusion knitting the lines of his face.

“It’s me, Jared.” He watched his brother carefully, trying to use his training to detect the slightest change in his brother’s features.

“Jared.” His eyes widened his mouth slack with surprise. “Holy shit, it’s been too long. You heard about Dad then?”

“Too long and yeah. I was just up there, but he doesn’t want to see me.”

“I suspected he wouldn’t. What made you come?” Justin stepped to the side to allow others to get on the elevator.

“Mom called.” When Justin’s gaze traveled to Wynn, he made the same introductions as before. “Justin, this is my fiancée, Wynn.”

He held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too. I just wish it was under better circumstances.” She took his hand, giving it a solid shake.

“I get that Mom called but why come home after all these years?” Justin’s gaze left Wynn’s and moved to size up Boom.

“Dad’s dying; how could I stay away?”

“You’ve managed to do so up until now.”

“When I first left for boot camp I used to call home, write letters, and even try to visit on leave, but every way I tried, I was rejected. They hung up whenever I called, my letters were returned to sender unopened, and they refused to allow me in when I would come back to town. How long did you really think I’d put up with that treatment before I quit trying?” Boom was disappointed that the hatred their parents felt toward him had infected his brother.

“Now that he doesn’t want to see you, you’ll what? Return home?” Justin shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat and glared at Boom.

“What do you want me to do? Sit around the hospital waiting for some news? Force myself into his room, even after the hospital staff asked me to leave because the patient was getting upset?”

“You shouldn’t have even come.”

“That’s painfully clear now.” Boom nodded.

“Stop this.” Wynn interrupted. “You’re brothers and you have your differences, but this is not the time for this.”

“What do you know of it?” Justin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, keeping his focus on Boom.

“I know enough to see that this hatred is pointless. Every child must grow up, pursue their own life, and choice of career. Jared had the will to do what he wanted no matter the cost, and it’s something he has to carry with him for the rest of his life. He dropped everything to come here, even though he knew he’d most likely be rejected. That takes even more courage.” She squeezed his hand before continuing. “Right now your father is upstairs dying, so how about everyone puts this hatred aside and focuses on that?”

Justin’s beeper blared through the silence that settled over them. “I’ve got to get back to the ER.”

“Dad’s having surgery. Could you call and let me know how it goes?”

“What’s your number?”

Wynn tugged a piece of paper and pen out of her purse before jotting the information down. “Here. This is his cell number and the address where we’re staying. If you change your attitude and want to see him, you’re more than welcome to come by.”

“Don’t count on it.” Justin shoved the paper in his pocket and turned on his heels.

“What did I really expect?” Jared mumbled to himself, watching his brother walk down the hall.

“You okay?” She rubbed his arm.

“I’m fine. I didn’t except anyone to be happy to see me, but there had been a glimmer of hope that Justin wasn’t contaminated by the same hatred my parents had for me.” He looked down at her and knew that all that he did in his life brought him to her and that was what mattered.
I wouldn’t change a thing.